Heretofore, there has been no simple, economical, or portable apparatus to demarcate an area of the ground. One traditional demarcation apparatus is a fence. A fence can demarcate or establish a border which may have a regular or irregular shape; however, the installation of a fence requires significant investments of time and effort as well as specific tools. Erecting a fence is time consuming and typically done once. Fences, once installed, are generally permanent and entirely not portable. Fence posts and the wire mesh used to connect them are thick and heavy and are not designed to be removed, transported, and reinstalled in other locations.
Various apparatus and methods have also been used for establishing a sport playing area, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,059 to Eiden, which relates to field markers imbedded into the ground as a more permanent demarcation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,872 to Capachi describes another boundary apparatus permanently imbedded in the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,243 to Raub describes a portable apparatus that marks the bounds of a rectangular playing court having a predetermined perimeter. Methods and apparatus for marking the boundaries of sport playing areas, whether permanent or removable, suggest a need for adhering to a standard, non-adjustable or “regulation” sized region.
The above references have the significant disadvantages of either large and non-portable boundary markers or a relative lack of visibility of the demarcation apparatuses that lay flat on the ground. These sport playing area boundary markers tend to create a large perimeter with a standard size and shape that cannot be altered to meet different demarcation needs. Also, they do not have the advantages of easy installation and removal. Additionally, conventional devices are cumbersome and suffer from a lack of portability. Finally, many of the sport field boundaries rest directly on the ground. The fact that they rest on the surface of the ground reduces the border visibility from both within and beyond the marked area.
This invention is directed to solve these and other limitations.